James Malcolm Brown

    A Tribute to Col. Brown, of the One Hun-
               dreth New-York.
To the Editor of the New-York Times:
 The writer of this communication has seen
with the deepest regret, amongst the list of killed in
the recent battle before Richmond, the name of Col.
JAMES M. BROWN, late of the One Hundreth Regiment
New-York Volunteers. It was the fortune of the
writer while at the Bar of Chautauqua County, to
which Col. BROWN likewise belonged, to know well
the sterling quality of the man whose life has now
been given to his country. No person could have
formed his acquaintance without discovering in him
such traits of character as belong preeminently to
the soldier. He was accomplished as a scholar; had
mastered in civil life two professions--those of medi-
cine and law--to which he added that of arms; pos-
essed of a liberal taste for literature; was a ready and
not inelegant writer, and crowned his acquirements
by a generous valor which gave him the death of a
hero. He served through the Mexican war in a sub-
ordinate capacity; was chose after its close to the
command of an independent company of infantry at
Jamestown, N.Y., which he brought into a condition
of high discipline, and always at heart a soldier, with
more or less of reluctance gave himself up to the de-
mands of his professional calling. The writer recalls,
with a mournful remembrance, a conversation had
with him years ago, in a time of cloudless peace, in
which he expressed the true longing of the man who
had once seen battle-fields, and whose soul would be
foreveer in that glorious pass where immortality
might be won.
 Col. BROWN was for several years a member of a
prominent law firm at Jamestown, and though not
conspicuous as an advocate, was regarded as a sound,
clear-headed lawyer. He has fallen in the flower of
his manhood--has earned thus early a soldier's grave.
His noble county, which sent thousands of her sons
to the war, will mourn over him even more deeply
that she has mourned already over her brave WIL-
LARD and BARRETT. I write with a sense of the most
poignant sorrow that this estimable officer should not
have survived this first engagement, and been spared
for a career of distinction not thus fearfully abridged.
When the history of this rebellion shall have been
fully written, with how much costly blood will it not
appear that this new covenant of the Union has
been sealed. A finished gentleman, as accom-
plished soldier, a most genial  and estimable
companion, is thus gone forever from the living.
Yet he did his whole duty; he gave the last drop of
his blood to the cause to which his heart was devoted,
and has earned the right to have his name in-
scribed with those of ELLSWORTH, and LANDER, and
WINTHROP, on the scroll of his nation's heroes.
 I cannot omit to add that expression of personal
grief which is due to one from whose intercourse I
derived an invaluable pleasure, whose acquaintance
was itself a benefaction, and with whom, on the eve
of his departure for active service, I parted in the
hope of results quite other than such as have befal-
len. Vale, vale, lunge vale. He has won the
choicest boon for which the patriot heart may offer
prayer; has died the death which, of all others, it
was his wish to die, and his name is now his
country's.                           J.A.A.
  NEW-YORK, June 3, 1862.